HARARE - Zimbabwe Open University (Zou) director, Perpetual Joy Ndekwere, will not be imprisoned for defrauding the institution of $6 000 after a Harare magistrate ordered her to pay back the money.
Ndekwere, 52, was facing fraud charges following a double claim she made to the organisation.
Magistrate Elijah Makomo had initially sentenced Ndekwere to 15 months in prison, before suspending nine months on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining six months were set aside on condition Ndekwere paid $6 000 to the learning institution.
According to State papers, Ndekwere was employed by the institution as its finance director.
The court heard that in 2011, Zou received numerous anonymous letters addressed to its council claiming that there was abuse of funds at the institution. The letter prompted the council chairperson to engage AMG Global Chartered Accountants to conduct a forensic audit by checking the institution’s financial records.
According to State papers, the forensic audit revealed that Ndekwere had claimed a Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (Zimche) subscription fee refund twice in March 2011.
The court heard that the reimbursement was a result of $6 000 Ndekwere paid to Zimche subscriptions, using her own money in December 2010.
It was procedural that Ndekwere was supposed to claim the money, which she did in January 2011, the court heard.
The State said she forwarded another fraudulent claim in March, leading to the release of a further payment.
The institution lost $6 000 in the scam and nothing was recovered, according to court papers.